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Kennel club genetics centre at the AHT

In 2009 the Animal Health Trust received a £1.2 million donation from the Kennel Club to form the Kennel Club Canine Genetics Centre (KCGC) at the Animal Health Trust and in 2014 the Kennel Club pledged to continue its support until at least 2018.

This exciting collaborative venture seeks to help dog breeders eradicate inherited disease from their breeds by the development of essential DNA tools that breeders can use avoid the birth of affected puppies and improve the overall health and welfare of the breed.

We work closely with dog breeders and owners and also with veterinarians to identify inherited diseases in particular breeds of dog. Then we undertake research aimed at identifying the genetic mutation(s) responsible for each disease and develop DNA tests that breeders can use to reduce the prevalence of disease over time.

The Canine Genetics research team at the AHT has a very successful track record. Since 2001 we have identified mutations responsible for 22 different inherited canine disorders and developed DNA tests that benefit 65 different breeds of dog; we have now tested more than 85,000 dogs from around 50 different countries for these disease-associated mutations and have identified almost 10,000 dogs that are carriers of at least one disease mutation.

The Animal Health Trust is a veterinary charity, based in Suffolk, which offers clinical referral services and diagnostic testing for horses, dogs and cats in East Anglia, across the UK and internationally. Through its research programmes it develops new diagnostic tests, treatments and vaccines to help thousands of animals.